British Airways Google Earth mash-up takes off

1 September 2006 – British Airways has added Google Earth technology to its website to give passengers more information about their destination. The airline is using the satellite imaging technology on www.ba.com to offer travellers info on tourist hotspots and details of hotels they can book through the website, by allowing them to zoom in on their destination. Customers can also click on a dialogue box in Google Earth to go to the BA website to book a flight.

BA’s head of brands and marketing communications, Jayne O’Brien, said the tool will allow customers to familiarise themselves with the local area, hotels and amenities. Users have to have Google Earth already installed and then add the BA ‘layer’ which adds details on the destinations in the airline’s World Offer fare sale. To get the most from the BA layer customers are recommended to download version 4.0 of Google Earth – currently in beta.